We had so much fun in Bruges. It's a small medieval town of cobbled streets lined with window-fronted shops opening into plazas with outdoor eateries and bridges over canals. No new buildings are allowed to be built in Bruges and lots of signs are in Latin. Lots of people on foot, bikes, and motorcycles. Horse drawn carriages and speed boats too. Every other shop was a chocolaterie or tea shop. Of course here were multiple shops selling Belgium lace. And pubs. Darrell joined us, and we had a great time getting to know him better. We all rode bikes to the bus station in Malegem and took the bus Bruges.
We wandered without a plan stopping through to see Michelangelo's Madonna and Child, past street musicians playing accordians and harps, to Markt, the big open area to eat lunch and up 366 tightly winding stairs to the top of the Belfry, Bruges' most famous structure. Of course we had to have some Belgium chocolate, so we stopped in a little choclatier, each buying one piece. Toasting the chocolate we ate it huddled up in the store. Moving on we found a great pub on a side street next to the Tolkien Diner and The Hobbit restaurant. The pub was famous for it's selection of over 250 types of beers. The menu was laid out according to region. The pub was cozy and dimly lit with Strauss playing in the background. The tables are small wooden squares spaced closely together. The boys drank by region starting from west Flanders moving east. Kristin stuck to the fruit beers, a cherry flavored beer, then peach and blackberry.
We met some interesting people there. Micello, an old Italian in Bruges on business with bad eyes and lots of stories. He sells antique books, sometimes
Illegally, he let slip, and some from the 11th century. Then we met two cousins, a girl from Georgia (the state) and a Belgian from Bruges. We learned a lot about Belgian politics. For such a small country and to have the capital of the European Union, Belgium has a lot of interesting political conflict.
Then we played around Bruges as he sun was setting. Bruges is really pretty at night with latern-lit streets and restaurants with flickering candles seen outside and through front windows.
We wandered without a plan stopping through to see Michelangelo's Madonna and Child, past street musicians playing accordians and harps, to Markt, the big open area to eat lunch and up 366 tightly winding stairs to the top of the Belfry, Bruges' most famous structure. Of course we had to have some Belgium chocolate, so we stopped in a little choclatier, each buying one piece. Toasting the chocolate we ate it huddled up in the store. Moving on we found a great pub on a side street next to the Tolkien Diner and The Hobbit restaurant. The pub was famous for it's selection of over 250 types of beers. The menu was laid out according to region. The pub was cozy and dimly lit with Strauss playing in the background. The tables are small wooden squares spaced closely together. The boys drank by region starting from west Flanders moving east. Kristin stuck to the fruit beers, a cherry flavored beer, then peach and blackberry.
We met some interesting people there. Micello, an old Italian in Bruges on business with bad eyes and lots of stories. He sells antique books, sometimes
Illegally, he let slip, and some from the 11th century. Then we met two cousins, a girl from Georgia (the state) and a Belgian from Bruges. We learned a lot about Belgian politics. For such a small country and to have the capital of the European Union, Belgium has a lot of interesting political conflict.
Then we played around Bruges as he sun was setting. Bruges is really pretty at night with latern-lit streets and restaurants with flickering candles seen outside and through front windows.
Mmmm. Chocolate trumps beer any day. Sounds like another delicious city!
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